A Companionship of Learning

“The Society rewards creativity, initiative, and intellectual curiosity with competitive grants to support self-directed undergraduate research and scholarship anywhere in the world. The intent is to bring together the best and brightest in what founder Douglass Cater called ‘a companionship of learning.’”

Requiring a grade point average of 3.6 or better, membership in the Cater Society is offered to students who achieve distinction among the school’s top scholars. At Society meetings—open to the entire student body and to faculty and staff—Junior Fellows who have completed their independent projects funded by the Society give short presentations about their experiences. The Cater Society of Junior Fellows also sponsors several social events throughout the year.

Junior Fellows grants are highly competitive. To receive project funding, applicants are expected to prepare well-crafted proposals for consideration by the Junior Fellows Advisory Council, comprising the Provost and Dean of the College, the Vice President and Dean of Student Affairs, the Chairs of the three Divisions (or their designates), the Curator, and the Student President and Vice President of the Society.

Supported by a grant from the Cater Society of Junior Fellows, history major Sarah Graff ’18 has digitized a collection of letters from World War II soldiers — all former students at Washington College.

Making the most of her Cater Society opportunities, Rachel Dilliplane ’15 has studied theater from Montreal to South Africa to Italy to Scotland, along the way refining her focus for her future in drama.